Overwatch League just flipped the spectating experience on its head

Watching eSports can be difficult. Blizzard put tools into Overwatch to help the League’s production team put together the best broadcast possible. Unfortunately it’s a moving target. Idle players are shown, big plays are missed, and hectic action becomes too disorienting for both casual and hardcore viewers. What could the Overwatch League do?

Different Views

To start, how about giving us spectators the same tools as the broadcasters? Now you have the ability to watch the action from any player’s view. Want to actually see what our support players do? You can now. Kellex and AimGod appreciate your patronage. Only want to watch DPS players? Done (the Uprising still don’t know who that will be, but that’s another story). Now you can follow your favorite players, roles, or heroes at the click of a mouse. On demand.

Best of all, you can now pull up the top down map that you see intermittently throughout the broadcast. I’m convinced the top down view may be the easiest way to watch the game. What better way is there to understand each team’s positioning? For new and casual fans, the top down view may be the best way to understand what is happening.

Additionally, you can mix in the traditional broadcast that the league broadcasts. With the functionality to combine any three of these views onto your screen, you can imagine just how malleable the system is. Personally, I don’t see how you can watch an Uprising match without having the overhead view in the corner, Gamsu in the other, and the broadcast front and center.

Extras

As if the ability to customize your viewing experience isn’t enough, the Overwatch League and Twitch throw in more. Two free Overwatch in-game skins (a $10 value alone). No ads. Exclusive post-match player interviews. Special Twitch badges and emotes (I’m too old to understand what these are, but shout out to the younger readers out there). A one-time 20% coupon to the Overwatch League Store.

Just to compare, let’s look at what similar packages in other leagues look like. Take a look:

NFL Red Zone – $9 – $13/month

NFL Sunday ticket – $290/season

NHL Center Ice – $130 – $160/season

NBA League Pass – $250/season

MLB TV – $112/season

When you look at what other leagues are charging, you can see just how great a deal this is. To any serious Overwatch League fan, the $14.99 price tag is a no brainer. For those trying to get into Overwatch, the price tag is more than reasonable to get a customized view of the action.

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